


Unexpected Return of the King

by Ristique Parlequin Elesia (yinngoh)



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-28
Updated: 2013-01-28
Packaged: 2017-11-27 06:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/659081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yinngoh/pseuds/Ristique%20Parlequin%20Elesia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short drabbles on reincarnation!Arthur. May be a little out-of-character. Written as stress relief :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Call to Return

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the following fiction other than the plot. All respective characters etc belong to their respective owners. :)
> 
> A/N: The characters + plot isn't as 'deep' as I would like it to be, but since these are simple writings for stress relief, I don't plan on weaving any intricate details in. Mostly written for the fun of it!  
> Also! This work is not-beta'ed nor given a second cursory look-through so it may be a bit.. iffy at times :P

“-ey, hey, Merlin. _Merlin_!” She snaps her fingers in front of Merlin’s dazed face, attempting to get his attention. “Hello? Earth to Merlin?” With an irritated click of her tongue, she placed both her hands on his shoulders and then proceeded to shake him. Slowly, she can see Merlin shaking himself out of his sudden stupor, shaking his head as if clearing it before focusing his eyes on her.

 

                “Huh? Sorry, what?”

 

Maddie rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips, raising her brows at him. “What happened? One minute you ask me to grab some coffee and the next you’re frozen and looking off into the distance like you’re receiving some sort of alien-signal or something?” she says, making elaborate hand-signals around her head to prove her point.

 

Merlin laughs at her description. “Sorry, I just—,” he thinks back to the strange pull that he’d experienced just a moment before. Although Maddie made it sound like his attention had gotten caught somewhere else, it hadn’t felt like that. It was more like his body had felt a sharp tug and he’d lost himself for a moment.

 

Even though it was probably just another one of his ‘weird moments’, he’d never ignored any gut-feeling he’d had before – no matter what random things they’d turned out to be – and he wasn’t going to start now. So, he placed a placating hand on Maddie’s arm, looking at her apologetically. “Sorry Maddie. I’m going to have to take a rain-check on that coffee.”

 

                “What?” she said, confused by the sudden change. “So it _was_ alien-signals,” she muttered conspiratorially. “So, what? They’re summoning you somewhere are they?” she said, a playful smirk pulling at the corner of her lips.

 

                “Um,” Merlin said, bemused. “Sort-of. I’ll uh, I’ll call you later, yeah? And can you…”

 

Maddie rolled her eyes again, giving his shoulder a light slap to get him going already. “Don’t worry, I’ll cover for you with Brad.”

 

With that, Merlin thanked her hurriedly and dashed off, following the lingering sensation of his heart pulling him somewhere.

 

* * *

 

With a surge, the calm of the previously still waters was broken. A figure emerged from amidst the chaos and a loud gasp was heard – a deep intake of breath. Then, a couple seconds of spluttering and coughing before the waters calmed and the figure was revealed to be a golden-haired man in lustrous armour, his leather-clad gloves wiping at his face, clearing the water from sky-blue eyes.

 

                “Mer—,” the man’s gravelly voice cut off in a hacking cough. “Merlin?” he said once more in a husky voice, shaking his head and wading through the waist-deep waters slowly, eyes squinting against the water still running his face, his voice grew steadier, stronger, and louder with use. “Merlin! MERLIN!”

 

Looking around, the man felt his heart beating faster in slight panic. _What had happened? Where was Merlin? He should be here with him!_ He tried to think back, slowly remembering a clearing. He recalled losing what little strength he’d had left and collapsing on Merlin, who’d refused to give up. He remembered… thanking Merlin. And then what?

 

_Merlin must’ve managed to bring him to the lake_ , he thought as he looked down at the waters around him. _So it had worked then?_ But where was Merlin? The useless oaf. Even after everything that’s happened he was still the same idiotic servant as ever.

 

“MERLIN! WHERE ARE YOU?” he bellowed, at the same time readying himself for an ambush. Merlin’s absence didn’t bode well in his mind. Merlin wouldn’t have just left him here unless there was no choice. He tensed and whirled towards the sound of rustling trees.

 

                “—ur,” a hollow voice was heard, too far for him to catch. The sounds grew louder and louder – like a deer pushing its way through the forest in an attempt to evade its predator. “—thur, Arthur?”

 

The man furrowed his brows at the mention of his name, but remained silent and waited for whoever it was to reveal themselves. Finally, some bushes were parted by familiar hands but an unfamiliar figure stepped out, dressed in what looked to Arthur like a white cape, an odd-looking blue tunic, black breeches that looked too clean and straight and had black footwear that definitely _weren’t_ boots.

 

Arthur frowned and altered his stance defensively, his eyes raking up the figure to try and place a name with the face. His eyes widened and body slackened when he realized he _knew_ that face. “Merlin?” he called out incredulously, thinking that maybe this was someone else who simply _looked_ like Merlin. His breath was knocked out of him when the figure’s face split into the biggest grin he’d seen on Merlin’s face.

 

                “Arthur!” the figure called out once more, this time laughing incredulously. His smile dimmed and Arthur took in disbelief in Merlin’s eyes; eyes that were drinking in Arthur’s form hungrily as if they hadn’t seen one another in a millennia.

 

                “What in the _world_ are you _wearing_ , Merlin?” was the first sentence to slip out from Arthur’s mouth. This question caused the man – now, Merlin – to look down at himself before looking up and taking in Arthur’s form again. This time, with fondness and amusement dancing in his bright oceanic-blue gaze.

 

                “I think we’d better get you out of there first,” Merlin said, striding up to the lake, not even hesitating before stepping into the waters, an arm outstretched to Arthur who grasped it gratefully before giving it a harsh yank which pulled Merlin – who yelped in surprise – in towards Arthur for an enveloping hug.

 

Merlin gasped softly at the action, but made no move in protest. It ended shortly after and Merlin pulled away to look up at a brilliantly smiling Arthur that tightened Merlin’s chest in a way that it did whenever Merlin had missed his king and his old friends.

 

                “You did it!” Arthur exclaimed. “What happened?” he went on to ask as they wadded through the waters. “Why are you dressed like _that_?” Suddenly, he groaned and clutched his head. “And why the _hell_ do I feel like I’ve just woken up from a blow to the head?” His questions were met with silence. Irritated, Arthur turned his head to look at Merlin expectantly, but paused when he saw Merlin moving with his head down, eyes downcast and teeth worrying his bottom lip nervously. “Merlin?” he questioned just as they stepped out from the waters.

 

With a sigh, Merlin dragged them over towards the grassy land before sitting on the ground and silently pleading for Arthur to do the same. He held up a hand before Arthur could question him again and tried to collect his thoughts. “Just… answer some things for me, would you Arthur?” he received a nod in return and he shot Arthur a grateful look. “What do you remember?”

 

Arthur frowned at the odd question. “What do you mean? I remember everything.” At Merlin’s pointed look, Arthur relented and elaborated. “I remember the battle – at Camlann. I remember killing Mordred. I remember you taking me here. I remember you killing Morgana. I remember collapsing on top of you and thinking I was going to die…” he looked around him once more. “I must’ve blacked out after that, but by the looks of things it seems you managed to get us here after all.” He glanced over to see Merlin staring off at the waters, brows furrowed.

 

“And I remember your magic,” he added, in case that was what was worrying Merlin. This caused Merlin’s head to shoot up and look at him as if expecting Arthur to say something else, but Arthur merely stayed silent, already having accepted before that Merlin was still the same person, sorcerer or no.

 

                “I…” Merlin struggled to speak. “I didn’t make it, Arthur.”

 

Arthur frowned, uncomprehending. “What do you mean? We’re here aren’t we? I’m alive, aren’t I?” He felt even more confused when Merlin shook his head sombrely.

 

                “No. You… you died, Arthur,” Merlin said slowly, softly; in a voice that gripped Arthur in fear and made him want to reassure Merlin that they were fine. Merlin glanced at him with a look that implored him to be silent for now and let him get what he wanted to say out first. “You died,” Merlin repeated, drawing in a shaky breath as he relived those last few moments. “And I summoned the Great Dragon to bring us here. But it was—it was too late,” his voice breaking on the last word. “And I sent you off here, along with Excalibur.”

 

When Merlin turned to him once more, Arthur took it as a sign that it was alright to speak once more. “How is that possible? Then why am I here?” His eyes narrowed when Merlin exhaled as if admitting to committing a great crime.

 

                “You’ve been… asleep, I guess. For a long time,” Merlin’s eyes were unfocused. Sitting here with Arthur, in this place, it felt like everything that had happened up till then was all a dream for _him_.

 

Instead of asking what Merlin meant, Arthur decided for “how long?” He watched Merlin chew the inside of his lips hesitantly, not liking this nervous Merlin in front of him. “Spit it out Merlin, you’ve never had any problems telling me your thoughts before.” He clasped Merlin’s arm in an attempt to grab Merlin’s attention.

 

                “About one thousand five hundred years, okay?” Merlin exclaimed.

 

                “What?” Arthur reeled back. There was no way. It was impossible. “Don’t be ridiculous. Then why are you even still alive?”

 

Merlin looked up at him through dark lashes, eyes indecipherable. Arthur’s gaze raked over his form. He’d hardly changed. But then again, when he looked harder, Merlin _did_ look maybe five or so years older. As he was taking in this slightly different Merlin in front of him, he was reminded of some words Gaius had said to him in what seemed like only a day or so ago; _there are those who say he’s the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the Earth_.

 

“Magic,” he breathed out to himself, although he noticed Merlin jerk ever-so-slightly in surprise. “It’s your magic, isn’t it? That’s what’s keeping you alive.”

 

Merlin nodded, finally turning his head to look at Arthur. The stayed silent for a while, just looking at one another – both trying to believe that what they were seeing was real. “And the others?” Arthur asked. Merlin shook his head.

 

                “I’m sorry, Arthur.”

 

Arthur looked down and nodded, understanding. Then, since he was never one for sombre moods, “so, the future huh?” this brought a quirk of the lips from Merlin who looked at him with excitement in his eyes.

 

“Yes,” he said, smiling. “Ready to go see what you’ve missed?”

 

Arthur laughed and leapt up from his place, extending an arm for Merlin who took it and pulled himself up. “Well what else do you expect me to do _Mer_ lin,” he said in the arrogant tone Merlin had dearly missed. Merlin smiled brightly in return and, with their hands still clasping one another, lead the way back to where he had parked his car.


	2. Horses to Cars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the following fiction other than the plot. All respective characters etc belong to their respective owners. :)
> 
> A/N:Odd coincidence last chapter.. but the Maddie+Brad thing wasnt inspired by Bradley James or anything. They're both inspired by two of my classmates who aspire to become doctors :) Although now that I think of it.. Bradley coming into the story would make it quite interesting indeed...

“What in the devil’s name is _that_?” Arthur voiced, abruptly halting in his steps at the sight of the large black monster before him. “Merlin!” he called out, pulling Merlin back and behind him. He was surprised when Merlin simply laughed and gave him a light shove, approaching the monster once more.

 

Reaching the shiny black creature, Merlin placed a hand on what Arthur assumed to be its spine and beckoned for Arthur. “This is a car, Arthur,” Merlin explained patiently – as one would a child. “It’s used as a means of travel. Like a horse.”

 

Arthur raised a brow. “ _That_ ,” he said, pointing, “is not a horse.” However reluctantly, he finally gave in and approached to where Merlin was, only to leap back once more when Merlin tugged at something and suddenly the monster’s jaws opened. Merlin laughed once more before grasping his arm and pulling him straight into the jaws of death. “Merlin!”

 

                “Arthur,” Merlin counted, rolling his eyes. Steadying a fighting Arthur, he looked seriously into Arthur’s eyes. “Do you trust me?”

 

Arthur studied him for a moment before clenching his jaw in determination. “With my life,” he confessed.

 

Merlin’s lips upturned as a rush of warmth filled him at the words. “Then trust me when I say it’s safe.” He watched Arthur glance once at the car, to Merlin and back to the car once more before giving Merlin a firm nod and approaching the mouth of the beast. Once in view of the strange interior, Merlin directed him; “sit there,” he pointed to the plush seats. “Your feet will go there,” the floor, “and you just lean back against the chair.”

 

Gaze flickering once more to Merlin in time to see his encouraging nod, Arthur squared his shoulders and made his way into the ‘car’. It took a moment for Arthur to get the right position – no matter how straightforward Merlin seemed to think it was – and then he was lounging in a surprisingly comfortable seat. Once satisfied, Merlin leaned himself in to pull on the seatbelts.

 

                “This is the seatbelt,” he said, showing it to Arthur who looked it over before running his gloved fingers over it curiously. “You can touch it you know, it’s perfectly safe.”

 

Arthur shot him a pointed look that Merlin smiled to before he proceeded to peel off his gloves and run his fingers over the material once more, humming at the unusual texture. “And it’s use?”

 

                “It’s strapped in to here,” Merlin leaned over and secured the seatbelt, hearing the _click_ sound as it was clasped in. “And it secures you to the seat.”

 

                “What’s the point of that?” Arthur asked, frowning. “I can perfectly well stay in my own seat.”

 

Merlin barked out a laugh. “Yes, you definitely can, _sire_. But think of it this way; if the car’s the horse, and the chair is your seat on it, what happens when the horse is surprised and halts suddenly or rears up?”

 

                “Well then obviously that’s what’s the reins are for, _Mer_ lin.”

 

                “Exactly,” Merlin nods. “But there’s no reins here. So, if the car has to stop abruptly, even if your body is pulled forward, the seatbelt will keep you in your seat.”

 

Arthur hummed, slowly understanding the logic. “Alright then. Anything else?” He could see from Merlin’s expressions that Merlin thought he was taking this all in rather well so far, although he wouldn’t admit it to Merlin that it _was_ a rather difficult stretch to believe everything so far.

 

Shaking his head, Merlin shut Arthur’s door and made his way to the driver’s side and buckled himself in. He turned the key in the ignition and listened as the car started up. To Arthur’s credit, he didn’t jump this time, but his hands gripped the seats in surprise at the growl of the car. Arthur shot a look at Merlin who nodded encouragingly before putting the car in gear asking, with a smile, “ready?”

 

                “Just get on with it,” Arthur grit out, looking through the window in front of him. Slowly, Merlin eased off the brakes and the car rolled, all the while watching Arthur’s expression. Arthur’s brows went up slowly as he watched the road before them disappear beneath them steadily. _Huh, so it_ was _like a horse_ , he thought. _Definitely more comfortable than one though_. “This is… quite useful actually.”

 

                “Yeah?”

 

                “But a horse would be more efficient, don’t you think?” Arthur got the feeling that he would immediately regret saying so at the grin that Merlin was sporting.

 

                “Well, that’s where you’ll see why people are using this instead of horses now,” Merlin said, slowly taking his eyes off Arthur and onto the road before them. “You may want to brace yourself, _your majesty_.”

 

                “Brace for wh—OAH!” Their bodies were pressed against their seats and Arthur once more gripped his armrests tightly, eyes wide as he watched the trees before them rush past so fast that they soon became a blur. Even then, he felt that they were _still_ going even faster. “Merlin! Merlin, stop!” he looked over to see the man _grinning_ for gods’ sakes. “You’re going to get us both _killed_!”

 

                “Relax, Arthur,” Merlin’s steady voice drew Arthur’s gaze back to Merlin. He saw that Merlin was completely calm and only as his eyes lingered on Merlin’s smile did he realize with a start that Merlin’s eyes were shining _gold_.

 

 _I can see the path ahead_.

 

Slack-jawed, Arthur still felt sceptical at Merlin’s recklessness but forced himself to relax. It didn’t take him long to really relax though, and soon he was busying himself with taking in the interior of the ‘car’ and all the odd knobs, shapes, holes and such in it.

 

                “You may as well take a nap if you’d like,” Merlin said out-of-the-blue. “The trip will take a while, even at this speed.” Arthur hummed to show that he’d heard. Merlin continued, “or, you could fiddle with some of the buttons if you’d like.”

 

Taking the invitation, Arthur ran his fingers over the bumps and curves before him, circling them and twisting them. At one, Merlin had suggested he give it a push, which he did, and then hastily pulled his arm back when music suddenly filtered throughout the ‘car’. Merlin had laughed before explaining that it was a ‘radio’, and that it received things called ‘signals’ from towers somewhere where there were individuals speaking and controlling the music played.

 

He’d found more buttons and knobs which adjusted the strength of gusts of air coming from dark openings that Arthur thought to lead to the exterior of the ‘car’. Merlin called them the “air-conditioner” and explained that turning the knob towards the blue image causes cold air to rush out, and the red for hot air. The buttons controlled the strength of the winds and he poked and scratched quizzically at the smooth black surface which had numbers, words and images lit up on it but didn’t seem affected when touched. Merlin called it the ‘screen’.

 

By accident, he’d encountered more knobs to adjust his seat – to his delight – and amused himself with it until he was _very_ comfortable indeed. He didn’t even notice when he drifted off to a sound sleep with the sound of soft music and the purring of the engines in his ears.


End file.
